


i'm so cold and you keep me warm

by heavydiirtysoul



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Best Friends, Fluff, M/M, joshler - Freeform, just a cute lil thing so have fun!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 13:37:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8491831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavydiirtysoul/pseuds/heavydiirtysoul
Summary: Sometimes the world is a scary place, but fortunately, cuddling with Josh makes almost everything better.





	

Josh rarely got back to the bus before Tyler did, so when he found the place empty, the bunks forgotten and cold and the lights dimmed, he was momentarily confused.

"Tyler?"

There was no answer, so Josh finally accepted the fact that he was alone for now. 

He took a quick shower, washing off the sweat from tonights' show and the few confetti pieces that had still been clinging to his skin. When he shampooed his hair, he heard the familiar noise of someone climbing up the short staircase to the bus door, and he swiftly finished his doings, rubbed his hair half-dry and eventually wrapped the towel around his hips. 

"Josh?"

"Comin'", he mumbled, knowing full well that Tyler already knew he was in the bathroom. There weren't many places one couldn't look over from pretty much any spot in the bus, so calling out for someone was actually quite useless. Josh nonchalantly ignored the fact that he'd done the same only a few minutes before when he had looked for Tyler, and instead unlocked the bathroom door, only to find thr singer leaning against the bunk right next to him.

"Hey."

"Hi. Where did you go? Couldn't find you earlier."

Tyler sighed, rubbing his neck with one hand, stuffing the other into the big pouch of his sweater. "The crew tried to convince me to get a room in the hotel they are staying at. Said no, we like the bus."

Josh nodded, making his way over to their fridge, getting two bottles of water and throwing one over to Tyler, who caught it with one hand, the other still hidden in the pouch. "Yeah, I like the bus." He chugged down half of the bottle while his best friend did the same, both of them thirsty from the efforts of putting on a show for their fans. "So we have it to our own tonight?"

"Hmhm", Tyler confirmed with a nod, already shrugged halfway out of his jeans, and Josh had trouble fighting the urge to stare. There was something involuntarily charming about the way Tyler moved, all lanky and clumsy when he wasn't on stage, and it made Josh's heart melt everytime. He'd never told Tyler, but it made him want to sweep his best friend off his feet and scoop him up into his arms like a toddler.

"Hey, have you seen a ghost?"

"Hm, what?" Josh snapped out of it, meeting Tyler's confused gaze, then shaking his head, chuckling awkwardly. "No, sorry, I was distracted."

"I noticed." A short pause, calculating, then: "I want to cuddle."

The statement was thrown lazily into the space between them, and while it wasn't exactly unusual that Tyler demanded for Josh to keep him company at night, it was normally only ever posed with such urgency when Tyler wasn't feeling well, hence the worry immediately seeping into Josh's veins and painting a concerned expression on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just want to cuddle, s'all."

His hands were now both buried in the pouch of the sweater, and Tyler just stood there, incredibly small and fragile in the middle of the bus with big brown eyes and furrowed brows tinted with what felt like an almost childish demand for attention. He looked lost, naked feet quivering and trembling legs disappearing into the comfortable warmth of the long, saggy sweater. 

"Okay." Josh took a few careful steps over to Tyler, pressed a small peck on his forehead. "I'm gonna put on pants, give me a moment."

He grabbed the grey sweatpants he had worn the night before, slipping into them and discarding the towel onto the backrest of one of their chairs. 

"Hurry up. 'm cold."

Josh was completely confused and thrown off by Tyler's behaviour by now. Tyler never acted needy, but he seemed to have somehow slipped into a state where he was demanding for Josh in a way that didn't sound like his usual commandeering he did when it came to shows or other business. No, he sounded -- he sounded like he was on the brink of throwing a tantrum, and Josh almost expected him to stomp his feet out of frustration like a three year old.

"Hey, are you really okay?" Josh smoothed his hands over Tyler's biceps still covered by the soft fabric of his sweater, and the worried expression on his face seemed to catch Tyler by surprise. 

"I told you I'm okay, I just need you to -" He hesitated, a high pitched whine as he struggled for words, and he suddenly seemed far younger than he was. "Can you just take care of me tonight? Please?"

One hand sneaked up to his face, and he actually started nibbling on the hem of his sweater sleeves, leaving a damp spot as he sucked on it. It wasn't sexual at all, the way Tyler nibbled and sucked - it felt more like a child with a pacifier, and even though Josh still didn't have the slightest idea of what was happening, he slipped into the role of the caretaker without any questions asked. Tyler needed him, and he was there. 

"Yes, yes, of course. C'mere, baby."

He didn't know where his reaction came from, but the way Tyler seemed to shrink made him pull his best friend close, embracing him as he let his hands wander soothingly down his back. Tyler buried his head into his chest immediately, shuffled as close as possible, and Josh could feel the movement of his small suckles on the sleeve against his chest. 

"Shh, baby. I'm here. You're okay."

Without letting go, he slowly guided Tyler to his bunk, softly scooped him up and laid him onto the matress, shuffling in besides him. It was cramped, but comfortable, the way their bodies framed each other perfectly, and he continued circling his hands, long, warm strokes across Tyler's back. 

"I'm sorry", Tyler mumbled, face pressed tightly into the crook of Josh's shoulder. "Jus' need you close."

"It's okay. I love you."

"Love you too."

The warm silence spreading in the bus was calm and safe, and Josh pressed soft kisses into Tyler's hair as he pulled him closer again, hands cupping Tyler's cheeks, and a soft peck on the tip of his nose before he rested his own head on the pillow besides Tyler. 

"Sometimes the world is just very, very big, y'know? 's scary."

Josh had almost dozed off, but Tyler's tiny voice slowly pulled him back to reality. He smoothed a hand down Tyler's back again, softly cooing, rubbing their noses together as he hummed soothingly. 

"I know. But I'm here to protect you. I'm gonna take care of you, always."

"Thank you Joshie."

"Always, Ty."

His best friend whimpered against his chest, started to suckle on his sweater again, and Josh scooped him closer, humming a nursery rhyme while he rocked Tyler softly. 

"You're safe here, baby. You're safe with me."

"Hmhm. Okay", Tyler whispered, and his voice was so small and fragile that Josh couldn't help but press another kiss to his forehead, arms strong and safe around the shivering form of his best friend pressed up against him.

"Can you sing me t' sleep?"

Tyler tucked his head into the curve of Josh's neck, curled into a comfortable position, and Josh started to sing.

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me at [spookykittyjosh](www.spookykittyjosh.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


End file.
